UFC 150's Melvin Guillard and Donald Cerrone are friends looking for a knockout

Melvin Guillard (47-11-3 MMA, 11-6 UFC) and Donald Cerrone (18-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) said it was easier to agree to fight each other because they were friends.

“This is the first time we’re actually going to be able to throw punches and kicks and not have to pull them,” Guillard said.

The two trained together at Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., and threw plenty of blows getting ready for fights, though none at the full speed required for the cage.

Guillard vacated the gym in January to join forces with the upstart Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Fla., but their relationship continued.

Despite that history, neither said it would be a problem turning up the tempo going into their meeting at UFC 150, which serves as the Aug. 11 pay-per-view card’s co-main event at Pepsi Center in Denver.

“Just because we friends don’t mean there’s going to be some kind of a setup of a fight,” Guillard said. “We’re going to fight and we’re going to bring it.”

By the time the booking was set, the two had already agreed to do that. Guillard was on a golf course when he was first pitched Cerrone as an opponent. The timing struck him as odd, and not just because he was in the middle of getting a few putts. The two had just seen each other at the official afterparty for UFC 148 after he’d competed and said they’d catch up soon.

Guillard didn’t think that meant fight.

“I was, like, well, I never turned down any other fight,” he said. “I’m not going to turn down this one. But then shortly after I agreed to do it, (and) before I signed the contract, I was able to talk to Donald on the phone.”

Cerrone said he was actually pining for a fight with top UFC lightweight and former WEC champ Anthony Pettis. But when a shoulder injury prevented Pettis from agreeing to the bout, Guillard was broached.

“We both agreed, ‘Hey, let’s go and do this,'” Guillard said. “Let’s to get fight of the night, let’s give the fans what they want and let’s go do this.”

Cerrone profusely thanked him for saving the day.

And a month out from the fight, Cerrone went to train in Vail, Colo., vacating the Albuquerque gym where they’d trained together to avoid any negative perceptions from using coaches they’d once shared. (Coach Greg Jackson will still corner Cerrone on Saturday, however.)

“Greg worked with Melvin a lot, and we were great teammates,” Cerrone said. “And I didn’t want Melvin just thinking that that’s all we were doing is picking him apart. And not to mention Greg’s got a lot going on back there at Jackson’s, and I just hop up here to Colorado early and get ready.”

Both knew well what strengths they brought to the table in a fight. Guillard joked about being ready for the leg kicks that had dropped him in practice.

“They’re coming brother,” Cerrone said. “Don’t you worry. I’m sure Melvin’s never been knocked out, but I’m going to kick his ass and kick him and kick him, so hopefully he doesn’t block them.”

Neither discounted the improvements that could have taken place since they took different paths.

“I’ve improved by leaps and bounds, and I’ve been taking time and studying my own craft and putting it to work especially with my ground game,” Guillard said. “What people don’t realize is that Donald also has a great ground game, and if this fight ends up on the ground, I have to be prepared to defend his submission game. He’s not just a banger. So I’m definitely running right back into high waters.”

Until he was outpointed by No. 1 contender Nate Diaz, Cerrone had earned four straight wins and was considered a frontrunner in the division. Guillard was also under title consideration until he was upset by Joe Lauzon.

A total of 26 fighters got their chance to shine on Saturday as part of UFC 190 at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. Now that UFC 190 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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